Senator Biaggi's Week in Review: 10/10/22-10/14/22

 

Dear Community,

As you may be aware, New York City has been managing an influx of asylum seekers arriving by bus to the City. Asylum seekers are being sent to New York from Texas because of a political stunt led by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to show their opposition to federal immigration policies. The political stunt, conducted at the expense of thousands of asylum seekers, led Mayor Eric Adams to declare a state of emergency to respond to New York City’s migrant crisis. 

To accommodate the migrants, Mayor Eric Adams originally planned to build a tent city in the parking lot of Orchard Beach in our district. However, Orchard Beach’s parking lot is in a high risk flood zone and the planned facility was inadequate and unsafe. I testified at a City Council Immigration Committee hearing to express my concerns and urge Mayor Adams to pursue a different course of action. 

After being met with criticism, the Mayor announced that the City would instead build a relief center on Randall’s Island and stop the construction taking place at Orchard Beach. Randall’s Island also remains in a flood zone, and is an insufficient response to this crisis. As winter approaches, it is inhumane to force asylum seekers to sleep in tents outdoors. It was announced this week that Row NYC, a hotel in Midtown, will serve as a second location for families. I welcome this decision, and believe that the City should continue to utilize vacant hotels and buildings over outdoor relief centers. The city has also opened over 40 emergency shelters to accommodate migrants. 

I urge Mayor Adams to continue to consider alternative indoor locations for relief centers to ensure that every migrant who arrives in New York finds a safe and welcoming environment. Ultimately, the City and State must do more to invest in safe, affordable housing to alleviate the overburdened shelter system. Solving this crisis requires long-term solutions and investments into our housing system, and we cannot continue to put mere bandaids on these issues.  

My office and I have been in contact with mutual aid groups on the ground since August helping migrants acclimate once they arrive in New York City. Mutual aid organizations and migrants have expressed alarm regarding the lack of resources available upon arrival to Port Authority. Asylum seekers are arriving without knowledge of how to access resources here including food, clothing, phone service, and accessible transportation. To support the migrants coming to New York, you can donate new clothing, toiletries, and hygiene items at the following drop off locations: 

• Mission Church John 3:16: 518 West 168th Street, New York, NY; Tuesday & Saturday 10AM - 5PM; 914-310-8948
• New Life Church: 2757 Morris Avenue, Bronx, NY 10468; Call before drop off; 718-562-2230
• Iglesias Jovenes Cristianos: 8700 18th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11214; Sunday 12PM - 4PM; 718-795-5645
• The Bridge: 1894 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210; Tuesdays & Wednesdays 10AM - 4PM; 917-804-3942
• Salvation Army Jamaica Community Center: 90-23 161st Street, Jamaica, NY 11432; Monday - Thursday 10AM -2PM; 914-217-3277
• Central Family Life Center: 59 Wright Street, Staten Island, NY 10304; 718-273-8414

Thank you in advance for your help!

With Gratitude,

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi